Ironing machine



5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. flndreaz H Gerhardt.

Arroxwz'k IRONING MACHINE A. H. GERHARDT Originhl Filed Dec. '6, 1940 4,2. |llllllllllll IIIII III March 13, 1945.

March 13, 1945. A. H. GERHARDT IRONING- MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6} 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Fill A. H. GERHARDT Re- 2Z,6l6

IRONING MACHINE I Original Filed Dec.-\e \,--194o s Sheets-Sheet :s

INVENTOR. Andrew A! Gerhardt.

March 13, .1945. A. H. GERHARDT IRONING MACHINE Original Filed Dec. 6, 1940 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR. Ger/7a rdzthrough part-of the driving Reiaued Mar. 1945' UNITED STATE Re. 22,616 i s PATENT, OFFICE IRONING MACHINE Andrew H. Gerhardt, Skokie, 111., assignor to Eleotrio Household Utilities Corporation, Chicago,

111., a corporation of Illinois Original No.

2,362,625, dated November 14, 1944, Serial No. 368,821, December 6, 1940.

Application for reissue January 5, 1945, Serial No.

13 Claims.

(Cl. 3H0) Fig. 3 is a transverse section through the driving mechanism, taken as indicated at line 33 on The ironing machine embodying the presentin vention is of the general class whichis termed a portable machine, constructed as a complete, compact, unitary structure of a size andfform which lends itself for convenient handling and removal from place to place,gand' for placement upon suitable supports, or tablev topsfor normal use.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide, in a machine of the character indicated, a novel and simplified form of drivin mechanism which lends itself to compact arrangement within a housing of relatively small cross-sectional dimensions, mounted in upstand ing relation on the supporting base of the machine, and which mechanism provides the power driving connections to the roll.

Another object is to provide a novel and simplifled form of means for varying the pressure of the shoe against the roll.

A further object is to provide a novel and simplified form of operating connections for moving the shoe into and out 01' cooperating engagement 'with'the roll and for yieldingly maintaining said shoe in pressure engagement with the roll.

Still another object is to provide a novel form of supporting base for the ironer in which the motor and parts of the driving mechanism may Y be conveniently housed, and wherein a portion of the support is formed with a chamber to serve as a compartment for storage of the conductor cord, which is used for connection to a source of electrical energy. 7 Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: p Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the ironing machine embodying the present invention, with parts broken away and shown in' section to illustrate details of construction.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged, vertical, sectional substantially as indicated at mechanism, taken showing line 1-2 on Fig. l. member and its relationship to the shoe.

Fig. 2, showing the clutch parts in a position corresponding toa'pressing condition of the machine, wherein the shoe is in engagement with the roll and the roll is in stopped condition. 4

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary sectional views of the clutch mechanism seen in Fig. 3; Fig. 4 showing acondition of the mechanism when the roll is stopped and with the shoe out of engage-' ment with the roll; and Fig. 5 showing a condition when the roll is rotating. and the shoe dis- ,posed in pressure engagement with the roll. I

Fig. 6 is a transverse, sectional view through the clutch device, taken substantially as indicated at line G-6onFig. 5.

Figs. '7 and 8 are vertical, sectional views, taken at lines 1-1 and 8-B, respectively, on Figs. 4 and 5, showing the different ositions of adjustment of theclutch shifting collar.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectional view showing the inner fitting connection between the clutch shifting collar and the movable clutch member, taken substantially as indicated at line il9 on Fig. 8.

Fig. 10 is an elevational view showing the con- 'nection between the clutch shifting collar and the movable clutch member, taken as indicated at line l0lli on Fig. 9.

Fig. 11' is an enlarged vertical, fragmentary, sectional view,taken as indicated at line ll-Il on Fig. 1, showing the operating linkage for the rock shaft which controls the movement of the shoe toward and away from the roll, and is shown in a position corresponding to the position of theshoe in pressure engagement with the roll.

Fig. 12 is a view similar to Fig. 11, showing the linkage in a position corresponding to the position of the shoe backed away or out of engagement with the roll. v I Fig. 13 is a staggered, sectional view taken as indicated at line ll-Ii on Fig. 11.

1 Fig. 14 is a transverse, sectional view through the supporting housins, taken as indicated at line 14- on Fig.1.

Fig. 15 is a vertical, sectional view through the ironer proper, taken through the shoe support gm, substantially as indicated at line 15-45 on Figs. 16 and 1'1 are transverse sectional views through the shoe armsupport, taken as indicated at lines ii-li and 11-41, respectively, on Fig. 15.

Fig. 18 is an end elevational view of the shoe, my novel form of thermostat control Fig. 19 is a fragmentary view from the face side of the shoe showing the relationship of the thermostat control member to the shoe, taken as indicated at line l8-l9 on Fig. 18. 3

Fig. 20 is a fragmentary plan view showing the I auxiliary support arm in an operating position,

taken as indicated at line III-20 on Fig. 1.

Fig. 21 is an unbroken, small-scale, front elevational view of the ironing machine embodying the present invention. r

The ironingmaehine embodying the present invention, as illustrated in the drawings, in-

eludes a hollow supporting housing or base ll of generally rectangular form, at the right hand end of which is mounted an upstanding gooseneclr type housing or standard II, which serves to enclose power drive connections to and support .fora rotary roll l2. In the construction illustrated, the housing II is a casting and includes an upstanding tubular portion which terminates at its upper end in a horizontally extending tubular portion, and said portions are connected together by suitable curved surfaces. Said housing is so designed that the cross-sectional dimension, taken at any point throughout the length of said housing, is substantially equal to the ex ternal diameter of the roll l2.

The roll I2 is of conventional construction, ineluding a tubular metal body It around which is wrapped suitable padding material l5, which is supported at one end by the horizontal portion of the goosenecir housing il in a conventional man- 'ner.

By virtue of the relative diameter of the roll and the size of said'housing II, it is'now Possible to properly and efficiently iron various articles of wearing apparel in a comparatively simple and expeditious manner, not heretofore possible on previous types of domestic ironing machines provided with conventional'large diameter rolls. Cooperating with said roll i2 is a shoe I6, which is preferably electrically heated in a manner well understood in the art. The operating face of the shoe is shaped to the contour of the padded roll [2, and is mounted for manual movement into and out of pressure engagement with said roll. as will hereinafter be more particularly described.

The metal tubular portion ll of the roll is provided at opposite ends and at substantially centrally of its length, with dish-shaped stampings l1 and I8. Said. dish-shaped stampings I! are provided with centrally offset portions l1,

gaging the inner wall of the tube 20. The shaft is secured in proper position with respect to the roll l2 and tube 20 by a spring collar 26 mounted on the shaft, adjacent the outer end of the tube 20. Threaded into the outer end of the tube 20 is a tubular nut 21 adapted to serve as an abutment shoulder for the collar 26 and thereby preventing outward movement of the shaft with respect to the housing ll.

The driving mechanism for the roll includes an electrically driven motor 30 disposed within the supporting housing Ill, and securely connected to a cast housing member 32 by means of machine screws 33. Said housing 32 serves to enclose the lower portion of the driving mechanism and the. clutch mechanism below the standard II. The

upper end of housing 32 is formed with an opening for registration with the opening at the bottom of the standard I I, which is also in registration with a similar opening formed in the top of the supporting housing III, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The upstanding standard I I is secured to the top of the supporting housing It) by means of three cireumferentially spaced-apart machine screws and said housing 32 is secured to the standard H by two machine screws 31, one of. which is of substantial length, as seen in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

The motor shaft is provided with a driving pinion l0 meshed with a gear 4| loosely mounted on a shaft 43, one end of which is press-fitted into a boss 44 constituting a part of the motor housing, and the other end is fitted into a. boss of the housing 32, as seen in Fig. .3- of the drawings. Said gear 4| has its hub provided with an annular groove 41, into which extends the edge of a plate 48 secured to a boss of the motor housing and which serves to limit axial movement of gear 4| on the shaft 43.

Mounted on the outer face of the gear 4|, by means of rivets 50, is a clutch plate 5|, which is formed with a central opening 53, the contour of formed to enclose bearings I! which are sup-- ported on a piece of metallic tubing 20. Said tube 20 extends beyond the end of the roll, adjacent the housing II, and is press fitted into said horizontal portion of said housing, at two horizontally spaced-apart points, as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It is by virtue of this construction that said tube, which is carried by the housing I I, provides journal support for .the roll l2. The

dished member II at the free end or the roll is formed for an interiitting driving connection to a roll drive shaft 22, which extends centrally and longitudinally of the rollv and through the tube 20 into the housing If for-connection to the driving mechanism, and serves to impart driving motion to the roll l2. The end of said shaft within the housing II is provided with an oil seal 24 enwhich. is such as to provide three circumferentially spaced-apart driving teeth 54. The driving mechanism, to be hereinafter described, is under control of a clutch mechanism which is carried on the shaft, and which is disposed within a chamber 55 formed in the housing 32, as seen in Figs. 3 to 5 of the drawings. Cooperating with said clutch plate 5| is an axially shiftable pinion 5Is1idahly mounted on the shaft 43. Said pinion is formed with three equidistant, circumferentially spaced teeth of greater length than the other teeth, as seen in Fig. 5 of the drawings, so that when said pinion is shifted into operative engagement with the clutch plate 5|, said three long teeth are brought into operating contact with the teeth 5| of said clutch plate 5|, by virtue of which power is transmitted to thepinion 51. The purpose of forming the clutch plate in the manner indicated and providing only three elongated or extended portions of the teeth .of the pinion 51 is to avoid chattering and noise, and insure quick and easy entrance of said extended portions of the teeth into the openings in the clutch plate intermediate the teeth 54, and thereby obtain almost instantaneous clutching and power drive connections. Said pinion 51 at the end opposite the extended teeth is formed with an elongated hub 58, the extreme end of which is formed with an enlarged, annular flange 59 which is adapted to be seated into an annular socket ill formed in an enlarged flanged shoulder SI of the clutch shifting collar 62, which likewise is slidably mounted on the shaft ll. Said shoulder 6| is provided with a slot 03, as seen in Figs. 9 and- 10 of the drawings, to permit entrance into the ,socket portion of the flange 59 of the pinion the end oi the roll drive shaft 22. It will now be 51. The clutch pinion 51 and the shifting collar I 52, together with shaft 43, are assembled by first seating the flange 59 of the inion 51 into the hollow socket of shoulder SI of the collar, and then passing the shaft 49 therethrough so as to maintain the parts in coupled relation. The purpose of this connection is to reduce transmission of rotary motion from the pinion 51 to the collar 62 and thereby reduce strain and wear upon the elements which are utilized for effecting shifting of said collar 02.

Mounted in abutting relation with the outer shoulder 65 of the clutch shifting collar 62 is a thimble 05, which is surrounded by a coil spring 58 reacting against the flange of the thimble and against the end of the chamber 55, thereby serving to urge the clutch shifting collar 62 together with the clutch pinion 51 in an inward operating direction. The extent of such inward movement under influence of the spring 08 is limited by a crimped washer 10 monuted in a groove in the shaft 49 imposition to be engaged by the closed end of the thimble 06, as seen in Fig. of the drawings.

Mounted beneath the clutch pinion 51 and in mesh therewith is an idler gear 12 loosely mounted on a stud 13 carried in a boss 14 formed as a part of the motor housing. The lower portion of the housing 32 is filled with suitable lubricant,

preferably in the form of oil, the level of which, v

as-indicated in Fig. 2 of the drawings, is sufliciently high so that the gear 12 continuously travels through the bath ofoil and picks up same and transmits it to the clutch pinion 51 and thence to the driving mechanism (hereinafter described) and serves as a medium for lubricating said driving mechanism. I

The gearing thus far described provides a speed reduction from the motor to the pinion 51 when the latter is engaged with the clutch plate 5!. A further reduction is obtained by mechanism which will now be described and which serves as the medium for transmitting motion to the roll drive shaft 22'. Said mechanism is in the nature of a"unitary gearing assembly and includes a vertically disposed mounting bar 16 ex,- tending up into the standard II and within the housing 32, as seen in Fig. 1. The opposite ends of the bar are reduced as indicated at 11 and the lower end of the bar is seated in a socket 32 in the housing 92, while the upper end of said bar is seated in a socket II formed in the upper end of 'said" standard II. Projecting laterally from said bar and rigidly secured thereto are vertically spaced apart, horizontally extending stub shafts formed with a socket in the. nature of a slot for receiving. a tang-shaped terminal 22* formed on apparent that when the clutch pinion 51 is in cooperating engagement with the clutch disc 5I, motion is transmitted through the gearing described to the roll drive shaft 22 for effecting rotation of the roll II. The drive mechanism above described isrelatively simple and economical to manufacture and lends itself for embodiment in a compact form which may be conveniently assembled as a unit including the bar 16 and gear- 'ing described, permitting utilization of a. tubular.

standard II of relatively small cross-sectional'dimensions, which is essential for use in conjunction with a relatively small diameter roll I2 for performing ironing operations upon certain articles of wearing apparel in a novel and expeditious manner, not heretofore possible on con- 80, 8|, 82, 83, and 04. Said stub shaft 80, at its outer end, is seated in a socket 32 formed integrally with the housing 32, and serves to properly position said bar 16 with. its stub shafts in proper operating relation. Mounted on the stub shaft 00 is a gear 00, meshing with the clutch pinion 51, and rigidly attached to said gear 06 is a pinion 08 with which is meshed a gear 09 loosely mounted on 'the stub shaft BI. Loosely.

mounted on stub shaft 82 is another gear 90, meshing with the gear 89. A pinion 92 is rigidly attached to the gear 90 and meshes with a gear 03 loosely mounted on the stub shaft 03, and the latter gear is meshed with mounted on the top stub shaft 04; Rigidly-attached to-the gear 94 is a coupler member 95 of thimble-like formation,

a. gear 94 loosely H ventional size. rolls of commercially available ironing machines The drive connections for the roll, as above ,meritioned, are under control of the clutch pinion member 51 and the movement of the clutch pinion is subject to a dual control-one by a hand operated plunger I00, which-controls rotation of the roll under certain conditions, and the other under control of the hand crank arm IOI, which,

in addition, also serves to control movement of the shoe I6 into and out of cooperating engagement with the roll I2. The plunger I00 is in the found a rod slidably mounted in a boss I03 formed integrally with an end casting I04, which constitutes a closure for one end of the supporting housing I0. The outer end of the plunger rod. I00 is provided with a convenient knob I05 for grasping by the hand, and the opposite end of. said rod is pivotally connected by a cotter pin I05 to a depending crank. arm I01, the latter being rigidly secured, as by riveting, to the end of a cylindrical plug I08, the opposite portion of which is journaled in a, bearing formed in the housing 32, as seen in Figs. 3 m5 of the drawings. In view of the fixed direction of movement of the plunger rod I00 and its relation to the crank arm I01, said pivotal connection between the parts is accommodated by an elongated slot I01 formed in the lower portion of said arm I01 so as to permit linear movement of the rod I00 to be transmitted to pivotal movement of the arm I01, without binding between the parts.

The cylindrical plug or body I00 is provided at its inner end with a nubbin I09 positioned. to be moved into and out of engagement with the flanged shoulder .of the shiftable clutch collar.

62. Theplug body I08 is retained in proper posi- I nubbin I09 in a direction away from the shoulder, B5; and the coil spring- 60, exerting pressure on the shiftable clutch collar 62, urges said collar together the clutch pinion 51 in a direction for causing engagement of the three long teet of the clutch pinion with the teeth 54 of the clutch plate 51. During such movement, the shoulder 65 of the shiftable clutch collar follows up the movement of the nubbin I09 as it is rothe end' of which is In tated incident to the rotation of the plug body support III adjacent the rear edge.

.:"-IIII. Such control of the clutch pinion 51 by the ..;:plunger I is, however, also in turnsubject to .-z--;control by the hand crank IOI.

versely bent portion extending inwardly and forvwardly of the machine proper and provided with a convenient handle H2. The other end of said rod IOI, forming the crank handle, extends through a rotatable plug I I4 to which it is firmly secured by means of a set screw II5, as seen in Fig. 13 of the drawings. Said plug II4 is journaled in a boss II5 extending inwardly from and formed integral with the end casting I04. Rigidly secured to the inner end of the reduced portion of the plug II4, asseen in Fig. 13 of the drawings, by means of a screw III, is a lever IIO formed as a stamping. One end of thelever is pivotally connected at I2 I to a toggle link I22, the opposite end of the toggle link being connected by a pivot I23 to the lower end of a crank arm I24. Said arm I24 is rigidly secured, as by welding, to a rock shaft I25 mounted within and extending longitudinally of the base or housing The other end of the lever I I0 is formed with an elongated slot I21, intowhich-extends a terminal portion I20, in the form of a-spherical knob, which constitutes the end of an arm I20 which is rigidly secured to a plug body I30. Said plug; body is also journaled in the housing 32 at the side di-' rectly opposite the plug body I08, as seen in Fig.

3 of the drawings. Said plug I30 is retained against axial movement in the housing 32, but permitted rotative movement therein by a retaining plate similar to that associated with plug I00.

When the shoe I5 is disposed out of engagement with the roll, the operating crank arm IOI is normally disposed in oblique position, as seen I in Fig. 12, and when the shoe is moved into engagement with the roll, said crank arm IOI assumes a position extending substantially horizontally, as seen in Fig. 11. Such movement of the crank arm also controls the clutch shifting collar 62. This is efl'ected by means of a nubbin I33 on the inner end of the plug I30, which is positioned to encounter the/shoulder 55 of said shifting collar 52. When the shoe is in engagement with the roll, the nubbin I33, through lever H0 and arm I20, is moved from the position seen in Fig. 4 to the position seen in Figs. 3 and 5. When the hand plunger I00 is drawn outwardly, effecting rotation of the plug body I00, its nubbin I00 is moved from the position seen in Fig. 3 to the position seen in Figs. 4 and 5. When the hand plunger I00 is in the position seen in Fig. 1 and. the hand crank arm IN is in the position seen shoe is in engagement with the roll I2 and the tion seen in Fig. 1 andthe hand'crank arm is moved from the position seen in Fig. 12 to a positionas seen in Fig. 11, and the parts, for controlling the clutch driving connections assume a position as seen in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

The supporting housing or base I0 is composed I of a pair of end castings, one of which, as above mentioned, is designated as I04, and asimilar casting I40 is disposed at the opposite end, and said castings are each provided with a pair of transversely spaced-apart depending bosses I04 and I40, respectively, into which are mounted resilient plugs or feet I. connected by a sheet metal housing I42 which, as may be seen in the drawings, is composed of a single sheet of metal bent at opposite edges in a downward-direction to form sides, and the lower ends of the sides being bent inwardly and then upwardly to form a reinforcing flange, as seen in Fig. 11 of the drawings. The outer ends of the housing I42 are formed with inturned flanges I42 for securement by screws I43 to the respective end castings I04 and I40. Said housing is substantially enclosed by a bottom panel ings, and thus substantially forms a complete Y closure for the motor 30 and the mechanism associated therewith and mounted within the housing I0. The top of the housing I42 adjacent the end enclosing the motor 30 and driving mechanism is reinforced by a sheet' metal plate I45, which is spot welded to the underside surface of the top of the housing I42. The'longitudinal edges of the reinforcing plate I45 terminate in downtumed flanges I45 fer further stiffening and reinforcing of the top of the housing I42, while the end of the reinforcing plate adjacent the drive mechanism is'formed with a downturned flange I41, which is secured by screws I40 tothe end casting I04. I

.The rock shaft I25 is supported at the end adjacent the driving mechanism in a bearing I formed integrally with and opening to the inside of the end casting I04, as seen in Fig. 13. The .opposite end of said rock shaft is journaled in a bracket I5I spot welded to the underside of the top of the sheet metalhousing body I42. Axial movement of the rock shaft I25 is preeluded by a spring washer I52 seated in a groove formed in said shaft adjacent the end of the bearing bracket I5I, as seen in Fig. i of the drawings. The end of the rock shaft beyond the bracket I5I is splined, as indicated at I54, on

which splined portion is mounted an upstanding arm I55 constituting a part of the shoe arm support. Surrounding and'straddling said arm I55.

is a sheet metal arm I55 of U-shaped formation, as seen in Figs. 1 and 15 to 17 of the drawings. The-lower end of said arm I55 has its side walls journaled on the rock shaft I25, on opposite sides of arm'l55, and is confined in place on said rock shaft by means of spring collars or snap rings I50 extending into grooves formed in said portion of the rock shaft, adjacent the sides of the clutch is operatively engaged for rotating the roll; and the parts which eontrol the clutch, assume the position as seen-in Fig. 5 of the drawings. When it is desired to use the machine for arm I50. The upper endof the sides of the arm I50is pivotally connected by means of a pin III to a pair of cars IGI formed integrally with the back portion I0" 01' the shoe I5, normally enclosedbyabackplate li asseeninFig. the drawings. by virtue of which the shoe I0 is 'pivotally supported so as to permit it to freely accommodate itself to the contour of the roll I2.

Theshoearms I55and I50arein Said end castings are by means of a headed rod I52 which, as may be seen in Fig. 15, has the head thereof seated against the outside wall of the arm I55 and the other end extending through arm I55; with a coil spring I53 surrounding said rod and interposed between said arms. The outer end of the screw projecting beyond thearm I55, on the side to-' ward the operator of the machine, is provided with a hand knob I54 so that by rotating the knob I54, the pressure of the spring I53 may -be varied and thereby, varies the relationship of the shoe to the rock shaft I25, and by virtue of which the pressure of the shoe when engaged with'the roll, as will presently be described, will be correspondingly varied. Surrounding the spring I53 is a sleeve I55, interposed between the respective arms I55 and I55 for limiting their final position of adjustment for obtaining maximum pressure of the shoe I against the roll I2. when the knob I54'is threaded outwardly to permit. the arm I55 to assume the position indicated in dot-and-dash outline in Fig. 15, the pressure of the shoe I5 against the roll, in operating position, has been greatly reduced. The purpose of providing such a variation in pressure of the shoe against the roll is for adapting the ironing machinefor performing a proper ironing operation on various types of fabric materials.

The rock shaft I25 is caused to be rocked for moving the shoe toward and away from the roll by movement of the band crank IIII, as above mentioned. It will be apparent that as the hand I crank IflI is moved from the position seen in Fig. 12 to the position seen in Fig. 11, motion is directly transmitted to the rock shaft I25 by lever H9, link I22, and lever arm I24. Obviously, when the shoe I5 engages the roll, further movement of the hand crank .to the final position seen in Fig. 11 builds up the pressure of contact of the shoe against the roll; and further movement of the rock shaft I25, by hand crank IOI, causes the rock shaft to become a torque member, serving to provide the necessary spring tension which constitutes a yielding pressure force for maintaining the shoe in pressure engagement with the roll I2. When the shoe is moved into pressure engagement with the roll, the linkage, in

cluding lever III'I, toggle link I22, and lever arm I24, assumes a lockedposition at which the pivot I2I is in line with or slightly above the axes of the pivot I23and the plug II4 carrying hand crank II) I. Thus the shoe is retained in pressure engaging relation-to the roll until hand crank III is raised to break the toggle lock of the linkage.

- In order to arrest the linkage, comprising the lever II9, toggle link I22, and arm I24, at the two different limits of movement desired, which correspond to the position of the shoe in engagement with the roll or backed away from the roll at an inoperative position, the lower edge of the lever H9 is formed with a pair of spaced-apart abutment shoulders H9- and H9 so that when the shoe is backed away from the roll to an inoperative position, the linkage assumes a position as seen in Fig. 12, with the abutment shoulder II9 engaging a stop boss IIl4 projecting inwardly from the inside of the end casting III4, as seen in Figs. 11"to 13 of the drawings; and when the crank arm IN is moved to the position seen in Fig. 11, at which position the shoe has been moved into pressure engagement with the roll,

the abutment shoulder H8 of the lever H9 is brought into engagement with the stop boss Hi4 for limiting the movement of the linkage and the pressure transmitted to the rock shaft and shoe arms I and I55 for causing the shoe I5 to exert pressure against the roll I2.

It is to be understood that in the movement of the crank arm IIlI in downwarddirection for sure engagement with the roll. To facilitate movement of the shoe away from the roll to inoperative position and for returning the linkage as well as the crank arm IIiI to inoperative position, as seen in Fig. 12, I provide a coil spring I1lisurrounding the rock shaft I25 adjacent the arm I24, with one end of the spring I10 projecting through an aperture formed in the depending flange I46 of the reinforcing plate I45, and the other end of the spring I15 being bent around the arm I24. It is to be understood that the spring is formed so that when mounted as indicated, a slight pressure is exerted on the linkage when said linkage is in the position seen in Fig. i 12; and when the linkage moves to the position seen in Fig. 11, the tension in the spring I10 is gradually increased, building up potential energy for. facilitating the return of the parts to the position seen in Fig. 12, and the shoe away from the roll, and thereby reducing the manual effort which would normally be required for performing such operation.

Another novel feature of this invention resides in the provision of a thermostat control for the electrical heating elements of the shoe I5. As

above mentioned, said shoe includes a back plate I5, formed of sheet metal and which serves to enclose the heating elements in a manner well understood in the art. The upper portion of the housing adjacent the outer end of the shoe, as

' seen in Figs. 1 and 18 and 19, is formed with an upstanding boss of arcuate formation, as indicated at I5, with which is aligned a manually adjustable rotatable thermostat control member I15, journaled on a shaft I15, which, in turn, is connected to a conventional thermostat device mounted within the housing "5. The manually adjustable member I15 is of frusto-conical formation so as to provide a face I11, the upper edge of which is exposed above the housing I6= of the shoe, at an oblique angle corresponding to a plane substantially perpendicular to the normal direction of vision of the operator when seated at the machine for performing the normal ironing operations. Said face I11 of the manually adjustable thermostat member I15 is provided with suitable graduations to indicate definite positions of adjustment of the thermostat corresponding to different temperature ranges for the heat of the shoe I5 for the performance of an ironing operation on various types of fabric material. For convenience of the operator, the face I11 of the control member is designated by suitable wording at areas corresponding to a proper position of adjustment of the member I15 for.

obtaining a desired temperature of the shoe for ironing a corresponding typeof fabric material. For example, the operating face I11 of the thermostat control member may contain designations for artificial silk, silk, rayon, wool, cotton, and linen, and in this same sequence the degree of ingly varied.

6 temperature of the shoe is desirably correspond- Obviously, the temperature required for ironing of silk is less thanthat required for the ironing of cotton and linen, etc. 7 To facilitate proper adjustment of thecontrol member "5, the embossed portion it of the housing is provided with an upstanding indicating character, as represented at It, in the nature of a pointer with which the control member I'll may be aligned for obtaining proper adjustment of the thermostat as may be required. The outer, periphery of the member I" is formed serrated for convenience of the operator so that slight engagement thereof by the finger may effect prompt and easy adjustment of the control member.

In ironing comparatively wide articles, such as bed linen or table linen, it is necessary to fold the article a number of. times in order to reduce the total width of the article for passage through the machine. In order to permit the operator 'to more driving mechanism mounted within said base,

transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in the driving mechanism, and dual control means for saidclutch, including a manually operable member extending through the base and serving tocontrol the drive to the roll, and a separate manually operable member extending conveniently perform the ironing operation on e such, large articles and also to reduce the number of folding operations of the article and obtain ironing of the article by direct engagement of its entire surface with the shoe of th machine," I provide an auxiliary support in the nature of a rod I80, one end of which is formed with adownturned extension or terminal portion ill which may be seated in a socket I" formed in the top of the gooseneck housing ll adjacent the roll, as

seen in dot-and-dash outline in Fig. 1 of the drawings. It is to be understood that the dimension of the downturned portion Ill of said rod vis such that the upper surface oi the main portion of the rod is disposedat substantially the same level as the top surface oi the roll l2. Said rod thus serves to support the overhanging portion (extending to the right of the roll and shoe), of a wide piece of bed linen or table linen as it is being ironed. Said auxiliary supporting rod may also-- be utilized advantageously for supporting articles that have been ironed, and for such use, the

socket 0' formed in the upper end of the outer end casting "II which forms a part of the supporting base II, as seen in Figs. 1 and of the drawings. Deslrably, the rod I" is of polygonal cross-section and, as shown. is of hexagonal form: and it is to be understood that the sockets I82 and ill are of corresponding shape so as to permit seating'the rod intho sockets at any of a number of desired angular positions of adjustment, such as indicated in dot-and-da'sh outline in Fig. 20. When the rod III is not in use, it may be inserted interiorly of the supporting base ll, by sliding throu h an aperture (not shown) in the end casting I.

The interior of thesupporting base, at the end opposite the drive mechanism, forms a chamber of substantial size and may be used as a storage compartment for an extension cord, which is pro- 'downturned portion ill of the rod is seated in a 4 through said base and serving tomove the shoe into and outflof engagement with the roll, and adapted for controlling the clutch when said first mentioned member is in one position of adjust'ment.

2. In a unitary portable ironing machine adapted to be mounted upon a table or stand the combination of a hollow supporting base, including a sheet metal body of elongated, inverted,

channel shape formation, a pair of end castings rigidly secured to and serving to close the ends of said body, and a panel of sheet material secured to the lower marginal edges of said body, a tubular standard mounted on said base, adiacent one end, a rotatable padded roll supported at one end on said standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll, power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said base, transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in the driving mechanism, and dual control means for said clutch, including a manually operable member extending through the base and serving to control the drive to the roll, and a separate manually operable member extending through said base and serving to move the shoe 1 into and out of engagement with the roll, and

vided for connection to a convenienoe'outlet for" supplying electrical current to the motor ll.

Although I have herein shown and described a:

preferredembodiment of my invention, maniiestly it is capable of modification and rearrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope thereof. I do not, therefore, wish to be understood as limiting this invention to the precise form herein disclosed, except as it may be adapted for controlling the clutch when said first mentioned member is in one position of adjustment.

3. In a unitary portable ironing machine adapted to be mounted upon a table or stand, the.

combination of a hollow supporting base, including a sheet metal body oi elongated, inverted, channel shape formation, having the lower marginal edges inturned to form flanges, a panel of sheet material securely attached to said flanges, and a pair of end castings rigidly'secured to and serving to close the ends ofsaid body, a tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end, a rotatable paddled roll supported at one end on said standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperate ing engagement with s 6. roll, power mechanism including a motor an speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said base, transmissionmechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in thedriving mechanism, and dual control operable member extending through the baseand serving -to control'the drive to the-roll, and a- "separate manually operable member extending through said base andserving to move the shoe into and out of engagement with the roll. and

sane

adapted for controlling the clutch when said first mentioned member is in one position of adjustment.

4. Ina unitary portable ironing machine adapted to be mounted upon a table or stand, the combination of a supporting base; a gooseneck tubular standard mounted on said base,-adjacent one end; a rotatable, padded roll supported at one end on the upper end of said standard; a roll drive shaft having a portion extending into said upper end of the standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll;

power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said base; a housing enclosing said driving mechanism; transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, said transmission mechanism constituting a unitary assembly including a vertically disposed mounting bar supported at its lower end in a socket in said-housing and its upper end being seated in-a socket formed interiorly of the standard, a plurality of vertically spaced-apart, horizontally extending stub shafts mounted on said bar, and an intermeshing train of gears mounted on said shafts; and operatorcontrolled clutch means interposed in said driving'mechanism.

5. In an ironing machine, the combination of a supporting base; a gooseneck tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end; a rotatable, padded roll supported at one end on the upper end of saidstandard; a roll drive shaft having a portion extending into said upper end of the standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of co operating engagement with said roll; power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said'base; a housing enclosing said driving mechanism; transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, said transmission mechanism constituting a unitary assembly in-' cluding a vertically disposed mounting bar supported at its lower end in a socket in said housing and its upper end being seated in a socket formed interiorly of the standard, a plurality of vertically spaced-apart, horizontally extending stub shafts mounted on said bar, and an intermeshing train of gears mounted on said shafts; a coupling member carried by the gear mounted on the uppermost stub shaft, said member being adapted for detachable connection with a cooperatively formed end portion of the roll drive shaft; and operator controlled clutch means interposed in said driving mechanism.

6. In an ironing machine, the combination of supporting base; a gooseneck tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end; a rotatable, padded roll supported at one end onthe upper end of said standard; a roll drive shaft having a portion extending into said upper end of the standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of coopcrating engagement with said roll; power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said base; a housing enclosing said driving mechanism; trans mission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to o'perably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, said transmission mechanism constituting a unitary assembly including a mounted on said bar, and an intermeshing train of gears mounted on said shafts; the lowermost stub shaft including an extension adapted tobe seated in a socket in said housing for holding said unitary assembly in proper alignment; and operator controlled clutch means interposed in said driving mechanism.

. 7. In an ironing machine, the combination of a supporting base, a gooseneck tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end; a rotat able, padded roll supported at one'end on the upper end of said standard; a roll drive shaft having a portion extending into said upper end of the standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll; power mechnism constituting a unitary assembly including a vertically disposed mounting bar supported at its lower end in a socket in said housing andits upper end being seated in a socket formed interiorly of the standard, a pluralityof vertically spaced-spart, horizontally extending stub shafts mounted on said bar, and an intermeshing train of gears mounted on said shafts; a gear operably driven by the driving mechanism and-dimensioned and positioned to travel through a body of lubricant in said housing for transmitting lubricant to the driving and transmission mechanisms; and operator controlled clutch means interposed in said driving mechanism.

8. In an ironing machine, the combination of a hollow supporting base, a tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end, a m-- tatable padded roll supported at one end on said standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll, power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said base, transmission mechanism extending updnto said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in the driving mechanism, said driving mechanism including a shaft, a driving clutch member mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart abutment Jaws, a driven pinion clutch member axially slidable along said shaft and constantly meshed with the transmission mechanism, said pinion being formed at the end adjacent the driving member with a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart Jaws adapted for disengageable cooperation with the abutment jaws of the driving clutch member,

a. clutch shifting collar slidably mounted on said member.-

9. In an ironing machine, the combination of a hollow supporting base, a tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end, a ro-' tatable padded roll supported at one end on said s I standard, a shoe supported by the basev and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll, power mechanism including a motor and speed reducingdriving mechanism mountedwithin said base, transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in the driving mechanism, said driving mechanism including a shaft, a driving clutch member mounted on said shaft and having aplurality of circumferentially spaced-apart abutment jaws, a driven pinion clutch member axially slidable along said shaft and constantly meshed with the transmission mechanism, said pinion being formed at the end adjacent the driving member with a plurality of' circumferentially spaced-apart jaws adapted for disengageable cooperation with the abutment jaws of the driving clutch member, a clutch shifting collar slidably mounted on said shaft and formed to provide a rotatably free interconnection with the drivin clutch pinion, spring means reacting on said collar and serving to urge it along said shaft for moving the clutch pinion into engagement with the driving clutch member, and

operator actuated means acting onsaid collar for controlling the action of said spring means.

10. In an ironing machine, the combination of a hollow supporting base, a tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end, a rotatable padded roll supported at one end on said standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll, power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing drivingv mechanism mounted within said base, transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in the driving mechanism, said driving mechanism including a shaft, a driving clutch member mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart abutment jaws, a driven,

pinion clutch member axially slidable along said shaft and constantly meshing with the transmission mechanism, said pinion being formed at the end adjacent the driving member with a plurality of circumferentially. spaced-apart jaws adapted.

for disengageable cooperation with the abutment jaws of the driving clutch member, a clutch shifting 'collar slidably mounted on said shaft and" formed to provide a rotatably free interconnection with the driven clutch pinion, and dual control means for the clutch means including a manually operable member for controlling the shifting of said collar to control the drive to said roll, and a separate manually operable member for moving the shoe into and out of engagement with the roll and having connections for controlling the movement of said collar and drive to said roll when the first mentioned manually operable member is in one position of adjustment.

11. In an ironing machine, the combination of a hollow supporting base, a tubular standard mounted on said base, adjacent one end, a rotatable padded roll supported at one end on said standard, a shoe supported by the base and mounted for movement into and out of cooperating engagement with said roll, power mechanism including a motor and speed reducing driving mechanism mounted within said base, transmission mechanism extending up into said standard and serving to operably connect the driving mechanism to the roll, clutch means interposed in the driving mechanism, said driving mechanism including a shaft, adriving clutch member mounted on said shaft and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart abutment jaws, a

driven pinion clutch member axially slidable' along said shaft and constantly meshed with the transmission mechanism, said pinion being formed at the end adjacent the driving member with a plurality of circumferentially. spaced apart jaws adapted for disengageable cooperation with the abutment jaws of the driving clutch member, said jaws of the'pinion constituting extensions of certain teeth thereof, a clutch shifting collar slidably mounted on said shaft and.

formed to provide a rotatably free interconnection with the driven clutch pinion, and operator controlled means for shifting said collar for moving said driven clutch pinion into and out of engagement with the driving clutch member. l2. In an ironing machine, the combination or a rotatable rollmember and a cooperating elec- 'trically energized shoe member, one of said members being movable into and out of cooperative engagement with the other, said shoe having 'a thermostat heat control device including a rotatably adjustable hand piece in the form of a disc mounted on the back of said shoe with a portion of its marginal edge projecting upwardly in a-position to be readily visible to an operator of the machine for convenient adjustment, the forward marginal portion of the face of said disc being provided with suitable indicia to readily indicate the various positions of adjustment of the thermostat heat control device.

l3. In an ironing machine, the combination of a rotatable-roll member and a cooperating electrically energized shoe member, one of said members being movable into and out of cooperative engagement with the other, said shoe having a thermostat heat control device including a rotatably adjustable hand piece in the form of a disc mounted on the back of said shoe with a portion-of its marginal edge projecting upwardly in a position to be readily visible to an operator of the machine for convenient adjustment, the forward marginal portion ofthe face of the disc being provided with suitable indicia to designate registered.

various positions of adjustment of the thermostat heat control device, and the upper .edge of the ANDREW H. GERHARDT: 

